Renewable energy + industrial sustainability
Wheeling works – financing is catching up In 2025, we showed that wheeling works. In the case of SolarAfrica’s SunCentral, first power is expected to come online later this year. SunCentral is one of the country’s largest solar initiatives designed specifically for one-to-many bilateral wheeling. However, in 2026 we’re seeing more traders enter the energy trading pool, more o takers and more complex structures. These are putting pressure on banks that are still geared for simpler, single-buyer deals. Reaching financial close on these projects is already taking longer than developers would like, and this trend is set to continue. However, this won’t be the case forever: as more multi-o taker projects come online, banks will have access to better data, so risk will become easier to price. For now, we expect the length and rigidity of the financial close process to persist for developers. Founded in 2011, SolarAfrica provides a suite of capex-free green energy solutions to the commercial and industrial sectors in Southern Africa. This includes on-site solutions such as solar energy and battery storage together with virtual solutions like wheeling, trading and aggregation. SolarAfrica partners with businesses in South Africa seeking an energy solution that provides power security, cost savings and carbon reduction – building towards long-term sustainability.
and into the risk management function. Electricity is one of the few major costs businesses can fix over a long period, which is why energy conversations are increasingly happening with finance and risk teams (not only the sustainability and engineering people). We see this clearly in industries such as mining. Electricity is seen as one of mining’s biggest input costs and, in some cases, uncertainty around future pricing is delaying capital investment. While things like commodity pricing and market volatility cannot be controlled, a mine does have control over its energy strategy, which is where partners that can structure blended energy solutions have an increasingly valuable role to play in 2026. Fixed and capacity charges change the landscape As self-generation increases, municipalities and Eskom are increasingly reliant on fixed and capacity charges to protect revenue. This changes the landscape significantly. In future, it is likely that capacity charges will increase at a faster rate than consumption charges. For 2026, this means we can expect major players in the energy industry, like SolarAfrica, to get smarter about managing peak demand and capacity exposure in a bid to reduce costs for their customers. Battery energy storage, hybrid supply models, diversified energy stacks and the ability to supply power outside standard solar hours will become more prevalent.
For more information visit: www.solarafrica.com
Products + services
Turbines supplied to two new Western Cape wind farms
Nordex Energy South Africa (NESA) has supplied 33 Nordex Delta4000N163/5X turbines for the Zen and Bergriver wind projects in the Western Cape. With a combined capacity of 194MW, both wind farms are now in construction, with commissioning scheduled for mid-2027. Zen (100MW) and Bergriver (94MW), located between Gouda and Saron, are expected to generate about 580 GWh of renewable electricity annually once operational, supporting corporate and industrial customers through an energy trading platform. Robert Timmers, Managing Director of Nordex Energy South Africa, said, “We are delighted to strengthen Nordex’s footprint in South Africa with the supply of 33 Delta4000 turbines for the Zen and Bergriver wind farms. The contract includes maintenance of the turbines and the projects are strategically important to our continued growth in the Western Cape, significantly expanding the Nordex installed base and reinforcing our commitment to the country’s renewable energy transition.” With these additional projects, NESA’s total installed capacity reaches 1921 MW across all wind farm facilities, including those under construction, with 525 turbines installed locally to date. These include existing operational assets such as the 138 MW Gouda facility, alongside current developments. The wind farms will be owned by ACCIONAEnergía, which holds 51% of the projects, with the remaining 49% held by a joint venture between H1 Capital and Chariot Limited, both of which specialise in renewable energy development and investment.
Once operational, the electricity generated by Zen and Bergriver wind farms is expected to displace an estimated 600000tonnes of CO´ emissions annually. Timmers added, “This further underlines the increasing role of private renewable energy procurement in South Africa’s evolving energy landscape and the importance of decarbonised power solutions across the economy.”
Turbines like these are being supplied to the Zen and Bergriver wind farms where construction is under way.
Etana Energy, the trading partner, will o take all electricity generated by the Zen and Bergriver wind farms under a 20-year power purchase agreement, supplying renewable power to a portfolio of commercial and industrial customers, including Growthpoint, the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Tharisa Minerals, Petra Diamonds and Autocast. “Evolving private demand for renewable power is transforming South Africa’s energy landscape, with otakers increasingly securing clean electricity through energy traders,” concluded Timmers. ACCIONA Energía is leading the build-out, while Nordex will deliver the turbine technology and assume operations and maintenance aer commissioning.
For more information visit: www.nordex-online.com
MARCH 2026 Electricity + Control
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